Right then. Roll on the next one.

A win and we advance!

K.

We seem to be experiencing a bit of a dip. Especially our offense. So there is no reason to take this one lightly. Our opponent ranks first in the Chech league. The result could go either way, imo.

Ryan Babel, Nicolae Mitea, Edgar Manucharyan, Dennis Gentenaar and Michael Krohn-Dehli stay in Amsterdam while Jaap Stam is in Prague but not yet fit. Vermaelen is likely to replace him.

I saw Sparta's entire last game in Belgium, and they really were terrible.
We have to beat them.

I bet we will.

It all depends what Ajax turns up - lets hope its the positive version and not the x rated one.

Let's put it like that : we would better win this one, since Ajax are not very convincing these days. We need not only to win the league, but also to do very well in the UEFA cup.

my prediction : 1 - 3 for Ajax

:afca:

0-0 after 58 minutes, and Ajax are down to 10 men. Emanuel sent off after 2nd yellow in the first half!

A very poor game of football. Ajax failed to exert any control in the first half; not surprisingly, given that Urby had been sent off near the end of the first half, they played a quite conservative game in the second 45.

This was a game of no goals and next to no goal attempts.

Yeah, really was a shit match.

Looks like we played for a 0-0 draw from the start!! Certainly once Urby was sent off as KJH gave way for Lindenbergh straight away.It means we are almost certain to qualify for the next stage.

Certain too qualify or not we are just playing shity right now, our atack is in the basement. We will qualify to the next round, but i`m feeling more like last year´s champions league run, when we made it through more because of a poor group rather than by good play. Keep this up and the first team we face in the next round will beat us.

Ten Cate better ring the bell soon, the lad`s are falling asleep.

No wins in three games :nooo: not good. This team can do better, we all know that.

We were terrible....truelly awful.
Urby's sending off didn't help, but the problem was far more profound...no movement, no tempo, no creativity....nothing.

Stam played well, the rest of the defense good enough against a poor Prague attack.
The midfiels never imposed or created anything.
JKH looks lost, and Rosenberg just not good enough.

Hopeless....really hopeless....

:pukey:

From what I have seen recently, and I must say it isn't too much, it appears to me that we are back into the situation of last season. Our 4-3-3 system relies heavily on having quality wingers and at the moment the opposite is true. Until we solve these 2 positions we will struggle with a 4-3-3 system. So the choice is very clear to me - get 2 decent wingers or change the system.

We didn't play with wingers yesterday, so that's not the (whole) problem.

I know I was off work yesterday with a heavy cold and was feeling woozy but I could have sworn I saw de Mul on the pitch (and for a few seconds Rosales).

If you have half decent wingers on the park they then give the other players an outlet that they are confident in - would you as a defender or a central midfielder have confidence in our current crop - I know I wouldn't.

Ajax started with Rosenberg and Huntelaar as strikers. After about an hour De Mul replaced Rosenberg as the single striker, not as a winger.

...and Roslaes came on right at the end to use up time (that's how bad things were)..... :nooo:

Now, I know I know....I've only seen one farkin live game this season....but I've just gotta echo this sentiment.

From what I've seen the whole basis of attacking play through the wingers simply doesn't work.

When was the last time we had decent wingers?

I'm not even kidding, I'm reallt asking. When was, that is: who was our last quality winger?

BTW people, this is probably the first time me and mr OPH agree on anything on these boards. SO ENJOY! =)

Per said:



Well the last time we had a decent right winger playing for us was Andy Van der Meyde, I know he has dissapeared from the elite of good dutch players, but at the time he did well thats why Inter wanted him. Ofcourse that was his downfall. As for our left wing position, the only one I can think of is Marc Overmars.

Before I start moaning about Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax... I just wanted to thank our good friend Ian (a.k.a. SaddlerIan) for writing the match report of Sparta Prague versus Ajax. Thanks a million for that, mate. Very good work!

:xyxthumbs: :bier:

K.

Per don't worry about it - by the law of averages it had to happen sometime. Now all I need to die a contented and happy man is for DWS to make the same mistake and agree once with me. :D

Over Pasanen's Head is a very wise man and I always agree with him, even though most of what he says really is beyond me, for example: "Ajax are a better when Victor Sikora is playing." You just know that he's right, even if you don't know why and no matter how many strange, yeasty Belgian beers he's had.

Anyone taking the piss out of OPH will have to deal with me - you got that?

K.

Bloody hell Ko that really is scary - I was only thinking that yesterday sitting there watching the game in my S**t room (how appropriate yesterday) drinking a very nice yeasty Belgium beer followed by a very nice red wine, followed by another one etc.etc.

Joking apart though are the wingers we have now any better?

Yes.

K.

Hah on the face of it that is what you seem to be saying, but reading between the lines you appear to be having second thoughts :D